Mentoring school principals: What are Wyoming districts

doing and what do principals want?

Heather E. Duncan hduncan@uwyo.eduMark Stock mstock1@uwyo.eduDepartment of Professional StudiesUniversity of WyomingPaper presented at MRMERA October 8, 2009, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

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Overview of Presentation

• Rationale for study• Wyoming context• Key questions• Demographics of participants• Findings• Recommendations

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The role of principal has swelled to include a staggering array of professional tasks and competencies (Davis et al., 2005, p.4)

Principals are expected to be • educational visionaries• instructional and curriculum leaders, assessment

experts, • disciplinarians• community and public relations builders• communications experts • budget analysts• facility managers• special programs administrators• guardians of various legal, contractual, and policy

mandates and initiatives.

Davis, S., Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M., & Meyerson, D. (2005). School leadership study: Developing successful principals. Stanford, CA: Stanford.

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Why do we need to develop and support our principals?

• “ The difference between a competent principal and one who's over his or her head is the difference between a school that is effective, innovative and open and one that isn't” (Guterman, 2007).

Guterman, J. (2007). Where have all the principals gone? The acute school-leader shortage. Edutopia. Retrieved November 9, 2007, from http://www.edutopia.org/where-have-all-principals-gone

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What is Mentoring?

• Mentoring is a collaborative relationship, that provides support and dialogue on authentic issues, and provides opportunities for sharing. It is a creative method of promoting professional development that sets in motion the process of self-actualization and growth (Talley & Henry, 2008)

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Wyoming•10th largest state•Population – 0.5 million•5.1 people/sq mile•Laramie -7200ft above sea level

Wyoming Schools and Districts

• 48 districts• <100 Students - >2000 students• 343 schools

– 198 elementary– 62 middle/JH– 77 secondary (including 15 G 7/8 -12)– 6K-12

• 85,578 students (fall 2007)

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Statewide Leadership ConversationSpring 2008

• Because Wyoming is a local control state, there is no consistency among districts in requirements for leadership and professional development

• The size of a district frequently determines whether or not there is capacity to plan and execute high quality professional development to administrators (and teachers)

• Geography impacts on opportunities for principal professional development

• Much of the professional development presented in the state and districts does not include follow through on implementation and further learning or coaching.

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Key Questions• Is mentoring important for Wyoming principals?• What mentorship programs are currently in place to

develop and support new principals in Wyoming school districts?

• In what areas do Wyoming school principals perceive mentorship is most important?

• What factors promote and inhibit districts to initiate and develop principal mentorship programs?

• What factors motivate principals to act as mentors?

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Survey Data• 187 responses ex 274 = 68.3% return rate• All respondents had master’s degrees in education; 10 had doctorates• 58 (30.3%) female: 129 (69.7%) male [Wy 31: 69}• Mean length of time as principal was 10.59 years (2 months – 35

years)• Mean length of time in present position was 6.28 years (2 months –

29 years)• 4 ranges

– 0-3 yrs: beginning– 4-7 yrs: intermediate– 8-15 yrs: experienced– 16- 35 yrs: very experienced

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Respondent Demographics

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Respondents M 129; F 58

Wyoming = 198 Wy 62 Wy 75 Wy 6

yes no don't know0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Is Mentoring Important for Beginning and Experienced Principals?

beginning experienced

• What programs are currently in place to develop and support new principals in Wyoming school districts?

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0-3 years 4-7 yrs 8-15 yrs 16-35 yrs0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Years in Principalship v. Mentoring

% formal mentor % informal mentor % no mentor

Mentoring

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Commitment of Districts to Principal Mentoring

• None of the districts with mentoring programs formally evaluated them.

• 15% of districts with mentoring programs discussed them informally at principal evaluations.

• Principal mentoring was included in the district School Improvement Plan (yes 12.3%; no 70.3%; don’t know 17.3 %)

In what areas do Wyoming school principals perceive mentorship is most important?

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Outside a

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Data-driv

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Instructi

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Creating c

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Legal

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Budget a

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Diversi

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2.5

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Years in Principalship v. Importance of Issues for Mentorship

0-3 years 4-7 years 8-15 years > 15 years

Most Important 4 Areas for Mentorship v. Levels of Principal Experience

Beginning principals1. data-driven decisions2. difficult faculty3.= difficult parents3.= legal issuesExperienced principals1. instructional leadership2.= data-driven decisions2.=difficult faculty4. Creating collegiality

Intermediate principals1. difficult faculty2. difficult parents3. instructional leadership4. data-driven decisionsV. Experienced principals5.instructional leadership6. data-driven decisions7.Difficult faculty8.Difficult parents

Gender and Areas of Importance for Mentoring Discussions Issues to talk over with a mentor Gender

Female (54) Male (115) Difficult students 4.11** 3.56 Difficult parents 4.37** 3.79 Difficult faculty 4.48* 4.06 Community 3.94 3.69 School board 3.31 3.39 Media 3.31 3.15 Outside agencies 3.31 3.30 Personal issues 4.04** 3.50 Data-driven decisions 4.19 4.05 Instructional leadership 4.07 4.08 Creating collegiality 4.11 3.74 Legal issues 4.00* 3.64 Budget and finance 3.53 3.42 Diversity issues 3.22 3.01

Principals’ Perceptions of the Importance of Factors Influencing Districts to Initiate or Improve Principal Mentoring Program Item Mean Std. Deviation

Principals' requests for mentorship 4.00 .96 University leadership program requests

3.44 .97

WDE requests 3.14 1.45 WDE support 3.42 1.18 Need to attract new principals 3.47 1.18 Need to retain new principals 3.63 1.17 Need to improve principals’ knowledge and skills

4.28 .79

Need to increase collegiality among principals

4.07 .97

Response to research 3.93 .93

Principals Perceptions’ of Factors Inhibiting Principal Mentoring Factor Mean Std. Deviation Lack of time for mentors 4.22 .89 District unwilling to oversee 2.89 1.17 No recompense for mentors 3.10 1.05 No training for mentors 3.44 1.08 No supplementary materials and resources 2.93 1.05 No interest by principals 2.21 1.13 No interest at district 2.87 1.22 Lack of time for principals 3.57 1.15 State guidance and funding is limited 3.30 1.16

Principals Perceptions’ of Motivators for Mentors Factor Mean Std Deviation Pay for mentors 3.59 1.06 Training for mentors 3.92 .88 Materials for mentors 3.66 .91 Time for meetings 4.33 .79 Personal satisfaction 4.12 .78 New learning 4.21 .69

Summing up• Only a small percentage of beginning principals reported formal

mentoring• Formal mentoring programs that existed were for beginning principals

only. • Most principals in the intermediate range (4-7 years) did not have a

mentor.• The majority of experienced principals indicated that mentoring was

also important for their group. • Working with difficult teachers is an area principals, however

experienced, would welcome the opportunity to talk over with a mentor.

• The use of data in making decisions and instructional leadership were identified as important

• Female principals rated the importance of mentoring in all areas higher than male principals, significantly in dealing with difficult people, personal issues, and legal issues.

• Time is the most important factor in mentoring programs

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Killing Time

                                                    

What Can Districts do?

• “The single most important thing a superintendent can do to support new principals is make sure that they don't feel they're out there all by themselves”

• “The bottom line is principals must be trained, and feel supported and part of a team.” (Guterman, 2007).

Guterman, J. (2007). Where have all the principals gone? The acute school-leader shortage. Edutopia. Retrieved November 9, 2007, from http://www.edutopia.org/where-have-all-principals-gone

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A Principal Mentorship Program Needs

• Commitment to development of new principals

• Support from the top• Commitment to adequate amounts of time• Room in the budget• Structured expectations• Feedback loops

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Limitations

• While the response rate was fairly high and the gender balance was representative of the Wyoming principal population, the school grade levels of principal respondents were predominantly elementary (k-8). Therefore, the findings of this study may be generalisable only to principals of K-8 schools in Wyoming.